Interlude: Memory
by TiffanyNichelle
Summary: Lorenzo will do anything to have Carly. This is not a love story. Completed


Interlude Five: Memory 

From the balcony off their bedroom Lorenzo watched his wife in the garden below. She was happily pushing their newborn daughter by the flowers. _My_ wife, he stressed possessively, _our_ daughter. For the time being he was happy to delude himself into thinking it was the truth. The same way he was also happy to let Carly believe it was so. And to think how effortless this whole thing had been. 

After watching her, following her, pursuing her, taunting Sonny about their relationship…it had been so damn easy to actually _get_ her. It'd simply been a matter of right place, right time. She practically fell into his lap. First there was the matter of luring her to the docks without her guards. That he accomplished without any problems. Carly, always so concerned about her sister-in-law. At the time he didn't have a plan. He just wanted to see her. But she had a fainting spell on stairs and tumbled down the stairs in front of him. He rushed her to his apartment and sent for his doctor. The diagnosis? She and the baby were fine physically but Carly suffered from complete memory loss. 

Memory loss? It seemed unthinkable to him. An unfunny joke, a soap opera cliché. But the doctor swore it was true and after Carly looked at him with blank eyes, he knew what he had to do. A simple plan really. First he whisked his new wife off to Europe, to a secure villa in Italy. He promised he would return to help her regain her memory. Then back to Port Charles to set it up. 

It didn't take much to fool Corinthos. A note was sent to Corinthos asking him to meet Carly at her club. A stand-in for Carly was seen entering Club 101 a few hours before opening. But just before Corinthos could make it, there was a terrible explosion. Club 101, gone. Total destruction. No survivors. 

Of course Corinthos came after him, accusing him of killing Carly. Lorenzo pretended to be in deep mourning himself. Why would he kill Carly considering how he felt about her? He subtly planted clues leading Corinthos to Faith Roscoe's door. Let the two of them destroy each other. He had a pregnant wife to get home to. 

Once with her, he spent his time trying to help her remember their life together and the child they created. He held her at night while she cried over her lost memories. And he held her at night while they created new ones. 

He was playing a dangerous game he knew. But when it came to Carly, logic and reason pretty much didn't matter to him. All that mattered was having her. And keeping her. 

The specialist he later privately consulted assured him that, in time Carly would remember all. Lorenzo warned her that it could be months, years, before she would regain her memory. But that was all right with him. He didn't want to rush her, he swore, eventually she would remember how much they meant to each other. Carly surprised him by saying that she already had a feeling inside, that she knew how much he loved her. During the delivery of their daughter she'd felt a new bond with him, one that was probably stronger and deeper than the one they'd had before. 

He could have cried, this was perfect. It didn't stop him worrying however. Late at night while she slept he watched her and wondered if tomorrow would be the day that she remembered. Would she wake up with hatred in her eyes? Or would she just smile and say she understood? No, his Carly would never passively accept his lies. No, there would be fights, long dragged out passionate fights and then…then she would come to see it was all for the best. Yes, she would see. 

Down in the garden, Carly glanced up and saw him. She waved at him and beckoned him to join them. He nodded and made his way out to the garden. 

"Hello there, stranger." She greeted him with a smile. "We haven't seen you all day." 

"I was busy. Meetings." He dismissed them with a shrug. He crouched down to gaze at his daughter sleeping in the stroller. As always a rush of feeling came over him just looking at her. "What have you and the little miss been doing?" 

"I thought it be nice to take her out for a little walk. The nanny keeps hogging her all the time. I almost barely get to see my own daughter." Carly laughed. "Only she fell asleep as soon as we got out here." 

"It's a shame." He murmured, standing up. 

"Yeah, it's such a nice sunny day." Carly hesitated and confused look came over her face. She frowned and looked over to the side. "What…" 

Alarmed, Lorenzo told himself not to panic. It was nothing, it was nothing, it was nothing, he repeated in his head. "What's wrong?" 

Carly tilted her head and looked at him. "I don't know, I thought I…maybe I was remembering? Something about a sunny day?" 

"I don't know what you mean." He said calmly. "There's been a lot sunny days." He flashed quick smile hoping she would let it go. 

Thankfully she did. She shrugged and shook her head. "You're probably right. I bet it was a picnic we went on once. Did we go on picnics?" 

"A few." He lied smoothly. He took her hand in his and cupped her face with his other hand. He said softly, "You don't have to remember every single little detail." 

"As long as I remember the big stuff, is that right?" She said flirtatiously. 

"And that would be?" He said, playing along. 

"Um…" She teased, "We have a beautiful daughter?" 

"Yes…" 

"A gorgeous home?" 

"Mmm-hmm…" He nodded. 

"More money than we could ever spend?" She grinned. 

He laughed. "Oh, of course." 

"Oh! And uh, you love me and I love you. Right?" She winked at him. 

"Perfect." He brought her closer and kissed her softly before holding her tightly. 

"And you don't deserve me." She added. 

He pulled back to look at her questioningly. But there was no hatred there, no change in her. He murmured. "That's true, I don't." 

"But you're stuck with me anyway." She told him. "Now kiss me again and let's take our daughter inside. I think there might be too much sun out here." 

"I agree." He kissed her quickly and took the handles of the stroller. The sooner this moment was over, the better. He started towards the house but Carly stayed behind. He looked over his shoulder. "Carly? Are you coming?" 

She glanced around the garden and then looked at him. She paused then nodded. "Of course." 


End file.
